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Naturally, privatization opponents are livid with the deal, saying it shows the true attitude of the Republican leadership toward air safety. “[This] tells our citizens that their safety is a political issue,” Carr said in a conference call with reporters. “It’s about trading towers for votes. If you live in a nice Republican community, you […]

Reauthorization, Or What’s Behind Door #2?… The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) claims an influential congressman is trying to create two new classifications of control towers: Democrat and Republican. NATCA President John Carr said his organization is outraged by a deal proposed by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, that […]

While FAA investigations into pilot records are not uncommon, the methods and tactics used by the Kansas City officials have been called into question. U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) helped launch the investigation into the FAAs actions over Brinell. As a result, Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth Mead determined in a January report that […]

Agency Officials Faulted… If you have a beef with the way the FAA has treated you during an investigation, you may soon be able to have all the facts reviewed by a third party. That’s part of the fallout resulting from the crash of a Cessna Citation near Branson, Mo., on Dec. 9, 1999, which […]

Raissi is not the only pilot to be affected by post-9/11 security concerns and he may not be the last. As AVweb previously reported, the TSA remains the sole arbiter of who is (or isn’t) a security risk worthy of having his or her airman certificate pulled. An amendment requiring a third party to review […]

With the libel suit behind him, Raissi promises to go after the U.S. government in another legal battle. This one may prove a bit more difficult, as he claims several government agencies and President George W. Bush himself are at fault. On Raissis behalf, attorney Paul Hoffman submitted administrative claims to the FBI and Justice […]

Wins Libel Case… An Algerian-born pilot has successfully sued one of Britain’s largest newspapers for libel after he was arrested there, at the request of the FBI, just after 9/11. Now Lotfi Raissi is going after the U.S. government. Raissi spent five months in London’s Belmarsh and was freed in February 2002. Raissi now claims […]

It took a few discordant notes to get the three groups singing the same tune, however. Earlier in the convention, NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Jeb Burnside told NBAA Convention News, the unofficial organ of the gathering, that the NBAA’s lobbying may have actually hindered efforts to crack open the security wall […]

Groups Want Qualified GA Access By Centennial… Dec. 17, 2003, may take on an even greater meaning to certain sectors of the aviation community if some of the alphabet groups have their way. The 100th anniversary of the first powered, sustained flight of a private aircraft may also be the day private and charter aircraft […]

Of course, the language, as it is currently before Congress, has its supporters, including Rep. John Mica, the powerful chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. He told the National Business Aviation Association convention that NATCA’s fears of wholesale privatization of ATC are unfounded. He also offered a cursory assessment of the Department of Transportation’s Inspector […]